Wafer edge lift pins are used in the semiconductor industry to lift/lower a wafer from/to a chuck assembly to gain clearance for an end effector (e.g., a robot arm) to pick/place the wafer. A problem with edge lift pins design is the need to ensure the wafer lift mechanism does not drop the wafer, and the lateral location of the edge lift pins with respect to the edge of the wafer is critical. To ensure the wafer is not dropped, the edge lift pins are positioned to within thousandths of an inch to the edge of the chuck assembly. A tolerance analysis of the involved processing system components (i.e., lift plate, lift pins, and chuck assembly) reveals the possibility of interferences.